Trainer Henry Dwyer finds fresh target in Champions Day at Ellerslie

Paradise Storm, seen winning in Victoria, will be seeking success in the Group 2 Trackside Auckland Cup (3200m) at Ellerslie on Saturday. Photo / Pat Scala

Well-travelled horseman Henry Dwyer will bid for further overseas honours with a two-pronged attack on Champions’ Day on Saturday.

The Ballarat trainer has forsaken Australian opportunities with imports Paradise Storm and Cote Atlantique in favour of riches at opposing ends of the distance scale on offer at Ellerslie at the weekend.

The French-bred Paradise Storm will take aim at the Group 2 Trackside Auckland Cup (3200m) while Irish native Cote Atlantique will tackle the Group 3 Haunui Farm King’s Plate (1200m), with the duo set to arrive on Thursday morning.

Dwyer has already enjoyed top-level success on the international stage through the sprinting deeds of his outstanding mare Asfoora, Group 1 winner of the Prix de l’Abbaye (1000m), Royal Ascot King Charles III Stakes (1000m) and Nunthorpe Stakes (1000m).

Now, he has been lured across the Tasman with OTI Racing’s Paradise Storm and Cote Atlantique, who race in the colours of Seymour Bloodstock.

“We were going to go to the Adelaide Cup [Group 2, 3200m] with Paradise Storm and we pivoted a bit when we saw the prizemoney over there [Ellerslie],” Dwyer said.

“It’s easy enough to get over and when we decided to send one, we decided we might as well send two.”

Paradise Storm won three times in France up to 2400m before arriving in Australia, where he has added two further victories to his record.

“We got him out to 2400m last preparation and always thought he would be a two-miler, so the Adelaide Cup came into play,” Dwyer said.

“It’s on the same weekend and there’s more money in New Zealand and in fairness it looks a more winnable race, so it’s the better option.

“It takes eight hours to get to Adelaide and takes two hours to the airport and three hours on a plane to Auckland and then on to Cambridge, so it’s a similar trip.”

At his most recent outing, the 5-year-old turned in a satisfactory performance when seventh over 2500m.

“He ran pretty well at Flemington last time in a leader-dominated race and with the slow tempo he got home well late,” Dwyer said.

“Obviously, the extra 700m will suit him and it looks a good race for him.

“He can get a little keen, so we’d want tempo in the race and we’ll take the blinkers off him stepping up in trip.”

Joe Doyle will ride Paradise Storm, a son of Masked Marvel and Limmos who was successful up to 3000m, while Dean Yendall is booked for stablemate Cote Atlantique.

The son of Kodiac was a dual stakes winner in Ireland and France before joining Dwyer and has subsequently added the Listed Seymour Cup (1600m) to his record.

“Dean is coming over to ride Mitch Freedman’s horse [Asakura] in The Kiwi so we’re happy to have him,” he said.

Cote Atlantique hasn’t raced since he finished third in the Listed Sale Cup (1600m) to close out his spring campaign and, after a break, was a trial winner last month on his home track.

“He will be first-up and was going to go for a race in Sydney this weekend, but again it’s just as easy to go to New Zealand,” Dwyer said.

“He’s probably a mile to 1800m horse, but he’s nice and fresh and can run a race over six furlongs.”

– LOVERACING.NZ News Desk